Cable grip



Sept. 7, 1954 D. L. KELLEMS CABLE GRIP Filed May 26, 1951 INVENTOR. 2W/L /fELLEM Patented Sept. 7, 1954 CABLE GRIP David L. Kellems, Mystic,Conn., assgnor to Kellems Company, Stonington, Conn., a partnershipconsisting of Vivien Kellems and David Loyal Kellems Application May 26,1951, Serial No. 228,449

19 Claims. l

This invention relates 1to braided, open mesh, wire cable grips and moreparticularly to the shoulders or places at which the Wires of the meshare brought together to form the pulling or supporting loops at thedraft end of such devices.

In the past it has been the practice with devices of this type to gatherthe individual wires of the braided open mesh together into one or moregroups at the draft ends of such devices and to bind the wires in eachsuch group together by the use of one or more tubular bands or clips sothat each group may be stranded or secured to form pulling or holdingloops, commonly known as eyes. In such prior devices, the portions ofthe wires forming the body of the mesh are held in spaced parallelrelationship principally by the over and under crossing of the braid.From such parallel, spaced relation in the body of the mesh, the wiresare converged by the tubular bands or clips into a group withoutattempting to maintain such original parallel relationship thereof. Thisconvergence of the wires is clearly illustrated in Patent No. 1,769,479,issued to S. E. Whaley, July 1, 1930, with particular reference toFigure 4 ofsuch patent. Also the same elTect is shown in the E. E.Kellems Patent No. 2,017,625, issued October 15, 1935.

The disadvantage of the above described practice is that in the use of agrip so constructed, there is placed an uneven load upon the individualwires of the mesh at theshoulder thereof which is a critical point in agrip. Since the wires in the shoulder of such a grip are unevenly loadedand are disposed at varying angles from the gathering point, the maximumstrength of the grip is reduced. Further, it has been found that thesoft jackets of the cables upon which grips of this type were used arefrequently heavily marked or cut into by those wires in the shoulders ofthe grips which have the greatest load or were disposed at the shortestangle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedform of grip which is free of the above noted disadvantages. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide an improved grip in which theparallel spacing of the wires is maintained throughout the entire bodyof the grip so that in the use of such a grip the wires will be loadedmore evenly.

A further object of the invention is to provide an open mesh cable gripwhich does not have the restrictions caused by the previous methods ofbringing the wires or strands of the mesh together and thereby may bemore easily installed on the cable.

Other objects, as well as the advantages of the invention, will becomeapparent after a perusal of the following description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is anelevational view of a cable grip constructed in accordance with theinvention; Fig. 2 is a detailed View on an enlarged scale of one of theshoulders or gathering points of the grip shown in Fig. 1 andillustrating more clearly the means whereby the equalizing of thespacing and loading of the wires is accomplished; Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the invention; Fig. 4is a similar view of the construction of Fig. 3 but illustrates thepreferred manner in which it may be used; Fig. 5 is a View simila-r toFig. 2 showing a further embodiment of the invention, and Figs. 6 and 7are views similar to Fig. 2 and showing still further forms ofpracticing the invention.

In the drawings, the reference numeral l0 indicates generally the bodyof the grip in all of the several illustrated modications of theinvention. The body IU of the grip is composed of a plurality of WirestrandsY interlocked or interwoven to form an open mesh structureadapted to be placed in surrounding gripping relationship with anarticle and having any suitable form. Some examples of the forms inwhich the grip body Ill may be made are illustrated in the E. E. KellemsPatent No. 2,017,625, issued October l5, 1935. The strands of the gripbody I0 usually extend beyond the draft end thereof and may be dividedinto two o-r more groups or branches to form one or more looped ends oreyes. In the construction shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the strandsextending from the draft end of the grip body l0 are shown divided toform two double branches Il, each containing a like number of strandswhich are preferably twisted upon each other into rope form. The outerends of the strands in each pair of branches Il are inserted intoopposite ends of a U-shaped metal tube l2, and preferably so that theends of each pair of branches Il overlap within the tube. The metaltubes l2 are tightly compressed upon the overlapping ends of thebranches llso as to form each pair thereof into an open shaped loop oreye.

The individual wires of the mesh body I0 in accordance with theinvention are brought together at the shoulders of the grip and are heldin parallel, spaced relationship at such shoulders by two members i3which may be termed stems It will be understood that the body l0 of thegrip may be considered as terminating in the lower 3 portions of thestems I3 and that the shoulders of the grip extend from the lowerportions of the stems I3 to the upper portions thereof. The branches IIof the grip start in the upper ends of the stems I3 and terminate in themetal tubes I2 in the mannerpreviously explained.

As is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, each of the stems I3is composed of a tubular metal member having two series of spaced holesI4, the holes in each series or lines being paired with holes I4 in theother series and .being spaced apart.from the latter approximately 180.Preferably the holes I4 in each series are arranged in vertical linesparallel with the axis of the member, as shown, but may be arranged inother than vertical lines. The arrangement of the holes I4 is controlledby the weave in the grip body Ill, and should preperably be so spacedand arranged that the individual wires from the body enter the member I3at xed points so as to maintain the parallel relationship of such wiresestablished by the weave in the body IB. In assembling the stems I3 onthe grip, the individual wires from the body of the grip are eachinserted into its proper hole I4 of a stem and then extended upwardly inthe stem so that it projects out of the upper end of the latter, thestranded branches I I being formed from such projecting portions of thewires. Because of the paired relation of the holes Id, pairs ofconverging Wires will be progressively gathered at the longitudinallyspaced points or places where such pairs of holes are located on thestern I3, as shown in Fig. 2. After the wires are thus properlypositioned in the stems, the latter may then be attened so as to iitsmoothly against the surface of a cable and to securely hold the wiresin fixed relation, thereby forming a lock for said wires at the placeswhere they come together.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the stern I5 isshown as consisting of a flat piece of metal material which has been cutto form holes I6 and transverse slits I'I extending from such holes tothe side edges of such slit; and then bent into substantially tubularform with the side edges of paired sections I8 inopposed relation. Dueto the spacing between the side edges of the paired sections I8 and theslits I'I the wires may be laid in the holes or slots I6 without thenecessity of threading the ends of the wires through the holes as isrequired in the construction shown in Fig. 2. By

means of this, the construction shown in Fig. 3 has been found to beparticularly advantageous inthe manufacture of very small grips, gripsrequiring rapid production, and of grips in which the branches IIthereof are longer than usual. After the stem I5 has been assembled onthe grip, in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the grip may be used with thestem in this condition because the wires will remain in the positions inwhich they have been arranged with respect to such stem. It is preferredhowever that the stem be pressed or flattened to a closed position withthe side edges of the paired sections I8 in abutting relation and theslits Il closed as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In this conditionof stem I5, it resembles the construction shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

In very large grips or those using relatively large wires, the inventionmay best be practiced with the use of two or more separate pieces ofshort tubing in the manner shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In thisconstruction, individual tubes or clips I9 are mounted on the wires inspaced relation so as to progressively connect successive pairs of wiresto the first selected pair in such manner that the parallel arrangementof the wires in the mesh body I0 is continued into theshoulders of thegrip. The tubes .I 9 may be of progressively largeridiameters ytowardsthe pulling end of the grip, as succcessive pairs of wires enter theshoulder to form the branches, as is shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Iam aware that clips or tubes have been used previously to hold vtogetherabove the body of the grip groups of wires 'from which the branches areformed. In such prior constructions the clips are used solely forgathering together in one group at one point the number of wire strandsvwhich'are to be included in such group and without regard to theformation of a built-up shoulder of a predetermined form or themaintence of the wires in such shoulder in the parallel relationestablished inthe pattern of the braided mesh I0. In the construction ofFig. `5, on the other hand, a plurality of clips are utilizedin thebuilding up of each group, a separate tube 'I9 being provided for eachpair of wires as they progressively and at predetermined spacedintervalsenter to form the shoulder and by which they are Ymaintained. in properrelation to accomplish the purposes of the invention. As each clip I9 isproperly positioned with relation to the wires it is to enclose, suchclip is flattened to secure it in position thereon and to prevent thepair of wires which have been added at that point .from pulling looseand .moving forward under load.

Fig. 6 of the drawings shows another manner in which the invention maybe practiced. .In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the individual wiresof the mesh I0 which are brought together to form the shoulderof thegrip and thebranch II, are maintained in approximately parallel spacedrelation in a vmanner conforming -to the weave of such body, by yamethod of braiding which dispenses with the need for a plurality oftubular clips as in the construction of Fig. 5 and which requires theuse of only one .ferrule 20. While this construction does not providethe rigidly held and accurately placed shoulder wires as in thepreviously described constructions, it .possesses advantages inapplications of use in which complete flexibility is of greaterimportance than close accuracy. This braid is constructed by bendingback and uniting into parallel ,strands individual wires of the meshwhich spiral .from the left with those which spiralfrom the rightat thecrossing point where they meet in the shoulder. Thus as-shown in Fig. 6,the wire 2| is bent back at its lmeeting point 22 with wire 23 andfromthere on is held parallel and against the ,wire 23. This procedureis followed with theother three pairs of wires entering the shoulderandmeeting approximately at'the rplaces indicated by the numerals 24, 25and26. The .parallelly arranged pairs of .wires .are then formed into asingle flat braid `2I as they emerge from the thus .formed shoulder.This dat braided -branch 21 may be continued to any desiredlengthiandended in any'suitable clip or fastening 20. It will be notedthat in ,such braided portion Z'Lthere are twice as-many -wires in eachstrand of -the ybraid as in `each strand of the-body of the mesh I0.Above :the clip 20, .the wires are zwoven into rope form toproduce=thebranch II.

A still further embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. '7 of thedrawings. In this embodiment, the stem means consists of a flat piece 28of metal material, which has preferably been shaped to conform to thecurved surface of the cable and which has been slitted transversely toprovide transverse sections 29 that have been formed or bent away fromthe piece 28 to enable the wires of the mesh to be threaded therethroughin the same manner as in the constructions of Figs. 1 to 5. After thewires have been so threaded through the sections 29 of piece 28, suchsections are pressed against the wires to secure the latter in theirarranged position. This construction possesses several advantages overthe previously described embodiments of the invention. In the rst place,the piece 24 being a single iiat piece of material is relativelyinexpensive to make and can readily be manufactured in large quantities.Also the piece 28 provides a strand equalizing stem which is ofconsiderably wider proportions than the other constructions. This notonly enables the load to be more evenly distributed over the cablesurface, but reduces to a minimum any possibility of damage to thesheath of the cable upon which the gripping device is used. In thisconnection, the stem 28 can be formed to t halfway around the cablegiving almost complete protection at this central point, namely, in theshoulders of the grip. Also the stem 28 may be extended completelyaround the cable to form a surrounding tube. The stem 28 may also besplit longitudinally for a portion of its length at a pointapproximately midway of its width, and such split parts each formed toeach embrace a group of wires, whereby the stem 28 can hold or grip aplurality of groups of wires formed into a plurality cf branches. Itwill be observed from the foregoing explanation, that the constructionsshown `in Figs. 1 to 5 and 7 are essentially similar, the

constructions of Figs. 5 and 7 differing from those of Figs. 1 to 4merely in that instead of threading the wires through holes and then upthrough the stems, the wires are threaded through prede terminedlyspaced members. In the use of all of such constructions, the wires ofthe mesh body will be held in xed relationship and will be perfectlyspaced to attain the results described. Further, where the greatestforce is exerted in the grip during use, namely in the shouldersthereof, the wires of the mesh, by the reason of the inclusion of suchstems, will be held away from the cable surface thus reducing to aminimum the marking or cutting of the cable. It is also within thecontemplation of the invention to form the stems of Figs. 1 to 4 so thatthey are progressively reduced in cross-sectional area in the samemanner as the stems of Figs. 5 and 7. Furthermore, it will be understoodthat while I have illustrated the invention with grips made of singlestrands, the invention is equally applicable to grips in which aplurality of strands are utilized in making the weave of the grip. Thus,while I have hereinabove described and illustrated preferred embodimentsof my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatother changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

l. In a gripping device of the character described, a plurality of wirestrands interwoven to form an open mesh body portion adapted to beplaced in surrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality ofthe strands in said body portion being extended from the draft end ofthe latter and continuing in the direction of their weave in such bodyportion to form a substantially triangularly-shaped, shoulder portion atthe draft end of the grip, a number of the strands forming such shoulderspiralling from the left and a number of the strands forming suchshoulder spiralling from the right, each of said left spiralling strandsconverging with a strand spiralling from the right, and a tubular membersecured to the strands in said shoulder and extending longitudinally ofsaid body portion, said tubular member having pairs of spaced openingslocated at spaced intervals thereon, a pair of right and left spirallingstrands in said shoulder extending into each pair of spaced openings insaid tubular member and then extending outwardly through such member,`said member being flattened to secure said strands in proper relationto each other.

2. In a gripping device of the character described, a plurality of wirestrands interwoven to form an open mesh body portion adapted to beplaced in surrounding gripping relation with an. article, a plurality ofthe strands in said body portion being extended from the draft end ofthe latter and continuing in the direction of their weave in such bodyportion to form a substantially triangularly-shaped, shoulder portion atthe draft end of the grip, a number of the strands forming such shoulderspiralling from the left and a number of the strands forming suchshoulder spiralling from the right, each of said left spiralling strandsconverging with a strand spiralling from the right, and a member securedto the strands in said shoulder and extending longitudinally of saidbody portion, said member being composed of a at sheet of materialformed into substantially tubular form and being cut at spaced intervalsto provide transversely spaced places of entry at the places ofconvergence of pairs of right and left spiralling strands in suchshoulder, a pair of right and left spiralling strands in such shoulderextending into its associated transversely spaced places of entry inSaid member and then extending outwardly through such member.

3. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one end of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of said grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand portions in substantially the sameparallel relationship established by the Weave of the strands in saidbody portion and to maintain such strands in gathered relation outwardlyfrom said gathering points, said means comprising tubular meansconstructed and arranged to provide places of entry for said pairs ofstrand portions at said spaced points and to hold the gathered parts ofsaid strand portions in longitudinally extending relation, said pairs ofstrand portions extending into said tubular means at said places ofentry and then extending outwardly through such tubular means.

assegna 4. A gripping'device ofthe character described comprising aplurality ofv strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adaptedto beplaced in surrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality ofspaced pairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one endv of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of saidk grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand portions in substantially the sameparallel relationship established by the weave of the strands in saidbody portion and to maintain such strands in gathered relation outwardlyfrom said gathering points, said means consisting of a longitudinallyextending tubular member having an open inner end for receiving one pairof strand' portions and having at least one pair of holes locatedintermediate its ends and at one of said spaced points, the pair ofholes adjacent to the inner end of said member being spaced therefromv adistance corresponding to the spaced relation of the converging parts ofthe pair of strand'portions received in such end and the next adjacentouter pair of strand portions, the latter of which are received throughsuch holes into said tubular member, the pair of wires gathered by saidmember extending longitudinally therethrough and beyond the outer openend thereof, the outer end of said member holding all of the gatheredwire portions in a single group.

5. A- gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placedr insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one end of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of said grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand portions in substantially the sameparallel relationship esz tablished by the weave of the strands in saidbody portion and to maintain such strands in gathered relation outwardlyfrom: said gathering points, said means consisting of a longitudinallyextending tubularlike member having a plurality ofV pairs of entryopenings intermediate its ends and located at said spaced points, eachadjacent pair of openings being spaced from each other a distancecorresponding to the spaced'relation of the converging parts of adjacentpairs of strand portions, the latter of which are received through said'entry openings into said member, said pairs of Wires gathered by saidmember extending longitudinally therethrough and beyond the outer endthereof, the outer end of said member'holding allv of the gathered wireportions in afsingle group.

6. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at succes-- sive such points to form a singlestrandfg-roup -ex- 8. tending. longitudinally toward one endof the'grip, and means. extending as a. whole longitudinally of said gripv andmounted on said progressively increasing sing-le strand group tomaintain the converging parts ofv said strand portions in substantiallythe same parallel relationship established by the weave of the strandsin said body portion and to' maintain such strands in gathered' relationoutwardly from said gathering points,. sa'id means consisting of atubular-like member split longitudinally and having at least one pairof' transverse splits located intermediate its length and at one of saidspaced points and extending in opposed relation from the longitudinal`edges of said. member, the inner ends of said transverse slits beingenlarged to receive a pair of strand portions, the enlargements of saidpair of transverse slits'being spaced from an adjacent spaced point a.distance substantially equal to the distance between such adjacentspaced points, the pair of strand portions entering such enlargementsextending longitudinally outwardly through such member and beyond theouter end thereof, the outer end of said member holding all.

of the gathered'wire portions in a single group.

'7. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one end of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of said grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand portions in substantially the sameparallel relationship established. by the weave ofv the strands in saidbody portion and to maintain such strands in gathered relation outwardlyfrom said gathering points, said means .comprising an elongated memberconstructed to gather progressively withinv the coniines thereof pairsof strand portions at said spaced points and to hold the gathered partsof said strand portions in longitudinally extending relation, theportions of said member intermediate adjacent spaced points beingclamped to the parts of the strand portions extending therethrough.

8. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand port-ions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to-form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one end of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of said grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand por-tions in substantially the sameparallel relationship established by the weave of the strands in saidbody portion and to maintain such strands in gathered relation outwardlyfrom said gathering points, said meanscomprisng a plurality ofymemberssecured to said progressively increasing. single. strand group inlongitudinally spacedv relation, a.. pair of; strand' portions enteringinto. eachy of-A said members at one of said points and then extendingoutwardly therethrough, the innermost member receiving onepair of strandportions and each succeeding member receiving in addition to the pair ofstrand portions entering at one of said points, the longitudinallyextending parts of strand portions received by preceding members so thatin the outermost member all of the pairs of strands are groupedtogether.

9. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strand portions at one end of said body beinggathered at spaced points extending longitudinally of the grip and beingprogressively assembled at successive such points to form a singlestrand group extending longitudinally toward one end of the grip, andmeans extending as a whole longitudinally of said grip and mounted onsaid progressively increasing single strand group to maintain theconverging parts of said strand portions in substantially the sameparallel relationship established by the weave of the strands in saidbody portion and `to maintain such strands in gathered relationoutwardly from said gathering points, said means comprising a platehaving a plurality of members connected thereto and arranged thereon inlongitudinally spaced relation, said members being secured to saidprogressively increasing single strand group in longitudinally spacedrelation, a pair of strand portions entering into each of said membersat one of said points and then extending outwardly therethrough, theinnermost member receiving one pair of strand portions and eachsucceeding member receiving in addition to the pair of strand portionsentering at one of said points, the longitudinally extending parts ofstrand portions received by preceding members so that in the outermostmember all of the pairs of strands are grouped together.

l0. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being gathered at spacedplaces within the weave of said mesh body at one end of said body, thestrands of each converging pair extending in gathered relation outwardlybeyond said end of the body from the gathering place of such pair withinthe weave of said body, a lock at the gathering place of each pair ofconverging strands, said locks maintaining the converging strands insaid pairs in substantially the same relationship established by theweave of the strands in said mesh body substantially to the gatheringplaces of such pairs and maintaining said strands in their gatheredrelation outwardly from said gathering places, said pairs of strandsbeing progressively gathered within the weave of said mesh body and alloi said strands being gathered together near the end of the mesh body.

11. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping' relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body xtending toward a,plurality of gathering places located at one end of and to one side ofthe longitudinal axis of said body,

the strands of each said converging pairs being gathered together at oneof such gathering places on such side of the body within the weave ofsaid mesh body and spaced from the gathering places of the other saidconverging strand pairs and the strands of each converging pairextending in gathered relation outwardly beyond said end of the bodyfrom such gathering place thereof, a lock at the gathering place of eachpair of converging strands, the gathered portions of said pairs ofstrands being progressively gathered together within the weave of saidmesh body and all oi the gathered portions of said strands beinggathered together into a group extending from the weave `of said meshbody on said side of such body toward one end of the grip, and saidlocks maintaining the converging strands in said pairs in substantiallythe same relationship established by the weave of the strands in saidmesh body substantially to the gathering places of such pairs andmaintaining said strands in their gathered relation outwardly from saidgathering places to said group.

12. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being gathered at spacedplaces within the weave of said mesh body, the strands of eachconverging pair being gathered at a place longitudinally spaced from thegathering place of an adjacent strand pair and the gathering places ofall of said pairs being aligned longitudinally of the grip, each pair ofsaid strands from the gathering place thereof extending in gatheredrelation toward one end of the grip and the gathered portions of saidpairs of strands being progressively gathered together approximately atthe gathering places of such pairs to form a single group extending fromthe weave of said mesh body toward such end of the grip, a lock at thegathering place of each pair of converging strands, said locksmaintaining the converging strands in said pairs in substantially thesame relationship established by the weave of the strands in said meshbody substantially to the gathering places of such pairs and maintainingsaid strands in their gathered relation outwardly from said gatheringplaces.

13. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being progressivelygathered at longitudinally spaced places starting within the weave ofsaid mesh body and continuing to the end of said body, the strands ofall of said converging pairs extending in a grouped relation outwardlybeyond said end of the body, a lock at the gathering place of each pairof converging strands, said locks maintaining the converging strands ofsaid pairs in substantially the same longitudinally spaced relationshipestablished by the weave of the strands in said mesh body andmaintaining said strands in a grouped relation outwardly from saidgathering places,

1d. A gripping device oi the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being progressivelygathered at spaced places within the weave of said mesh body andextending as a whole longitudinally toward one end of said body, thestrands of all of said converging pairs extending in gathered relationoutwardly beyond such end of the body and all of said gathered strandsbeyond the weave of said body forming at least one branch of a draftloop, a lock extending as a whole longitudinally of said mesh body froma point beyond the weave at such end of the body to the innermostgathering place in such weave and securing such pairs of strands at eachof said gathering places to maintain the converging strands in saidpairs in substantially the same relationship established by the weave ofthe strands in said mesh body substantially to the gathering places ofsuch pairs and to maintain said strands in their gathered relationoutwardly from said gathering places.

15. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open ymesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being progressivelygathered at spaced places within the weave of said mesh body andextending as a whole longitudinally toward one end of said body, `thestrands of all of said converging pairs extending in gathered relationoutwardly beyond such end of the body and all of said gathered strandsbeyond the Weave of said body forming at least one branch of a draftloop, a lock extending as a whole longitudinally of said mesh body fromapoint beyond the weave at ysuch end of the body to the innermostgathering place in such weave and progressively receiving saidprogressively gathered pairs of strands at said spaced places andsecuring such pairs of strands at each of said gathering places tomaintain the converging strands in said pairs in substantially the samerelationship established by the weave of the strands in said mesh bodysubstantially to the gathering places of such pairs and to maintain saidstrands in their gathered relation outwardly from said gathering places.

16. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging v strands in said mesh body being progressivelygathered at longitudinally spaced places starting within the weave ofsaid mesh body and continuing tothe end of said body, the strands of allof said converging pairs progressively entering into and forming a braidextending outwardly beyond said end of the body, each of said individualpairs of strands being locked at its gathering place by said braid, andsaid braid thus maintaining the converging strands of said pairs insubstantially the same longitudinally spaced relation established by theweave of the strands in said `mesh body and maintaining said strands ina grouped relation outwardly from said gathering places.

17. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedpairs of converging strands in said mesh body being progressivelygathered at spaced places within the weave of said mesh body andextending as a whole longitudinally toward one end of such body, thegathered portions of said pairs of strands `progressively entering intoand forming .a braid extending outwardly beyond said end of the body,said braid maintaining the converging strands in said pairs insubstantially the same relationship established by the weave of thestrands in said mesh body substantially to the gathering places of suchpairs and maintaining said strands in their gathered relation outwardlyfrom said gathering places, said strands extending beyond the outer endof said braid and forming at least one branch of a draft loop for thegrip.

18. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, a plurality of spacedstrands in said mesh body converging together in pairs at one side ofsaid body and being gathered at at least four spaced places in the weaveof said mesh body, the strands of each converging pair extending ingathered relation outwardly beyond one end of the body from thegathering place of such pair within the weave of such body and all ofthe gathered strands so extending forming at least four groups of suchstrands, said groups of strands being braided together in a braidextending from a place substantially within the weave of said mesh bodyto and beyond said end of such body, two of said groups of strandsstarting such braid at places substantially within the weave of saidmesh body and two of said groups of strands entering said braid from theweave of said mesh body at places spaced outwardly from such startingplaces.

19. A gripping device of the character described comprising a pluralityof strands interwoven to form an open mesh body adapted to be placed insurrounding gripping relation with an article, and a braid extendingfrom a place substantialh7 Within the weave of said body to and beyondone end of said body at one side of said body, said V' mesh body at suchside thereof including a plurality of spaced strands converging togetherin pairs and being gathered at at least four spaced places in the weaveof said mesh body, the strands of each converging pair extending ingathered relation outwardly beyond said end of the body from thegathering place of such pair within the weave of such body and all ofthe gathered strands so extending forming at least four groups ofstrands braided together to form said braid, each of said strand groupsbeing composed of a strand that crosses a converging strandsubstantially at the longitudinal central axis of said braid, crossesthe next outwardly positioned adjacent converging strand at a pointoffset from such central axis, turns back toward said longitudinal axisto be grouped with the third outwardly positioned converging strand,then enters in such grouped relation with said latter third strand intosaid braid, two of said groups of strands crossing such longitudinalaxis at a place in said braid substantially Within the weave of suchmesh body and outwardly of the gathering places of such groups and twoof said groups of strands entering said braid at places spaced outwardlyfrom the place of crossing of said rst mentioned two strand groups.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,114,637 Nolan Oct, 20, 1914 1,819,430 Martin Aug. 18, 19312,093,838 Kellems Sept. 21, 193'? 2,249,119 Di Palma July 15, 19412,463,116 Lewis Mar. 1, 1949

